After more than three months of rigorous beta testing, iOS 18 is set to make its official debut to the public on Monday, September 16. Users can begin installing the new update starting at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time). To access and install iOS 18, simply navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone XS or a later model, then go to General → Software Update.
This highly anticipated release marks the culmination of extensive testing and refinement, promising a range of new features and enhancements designed to improve the user experience. Make sure your device is connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network and has sufficient battery life before initiating the update to ensure a smooth installation process.
Personalizable Home Screen Layout
In iOS 18, Apple introduces greater flexibility for arranging your Home Screen. You now have the freedom to position app icons anywhere on the grid, giving you full control over your screen’s layout. Additionally, the update brings fresh customization features, including “Dark” and “Tinted” options that let you change the color of app icons to better match your personal style. Moreover, if you prefer a cleaner look, you can opt to enlarge app icons and remove the text labels beneath them, streamlining your Home Screen for a more minimalist appearance.
Photos
The Photos app has received a significant upgrade, now offering a streamlined and cohesive view of your entire photo library through a single, grid-based layout. This redesigned interface simplifies the process of exploring your memories, eliminating the need to navigate through various albums. With the ability to pin your most cherished collections, you can ensure that your favorite photos and albums are always easily accessible.
Additionally, the app introduces a new carousel feature that highlights daily memories in a vibrant, poster-like format. This engaging display updates each day, allowing you to rediscover and enjoy standout moments from your past. To enhance your browsing experience further, photos and videos now autoplay within the app, creating a more dynamic and immersive way to interact with your media collection.
Revamped Control Center
In iOS 18, the Control Center has received a major redesign, offering a more personalized experience similar to the revamped Home Screen. The new layout allows you to rearrange and resize controls, spread them across multiple pages for better organization. This flexibility means you can tailor the Control Center to fit your preferences and workflow more effectively.
Additionally, iOS 18 introduces a fresh controls gallery from which you can easily add new features to your Control Center. This expanded gallery provides a wider range of options, allowing you to enhance your shortcuts and streamline your access to frequently used functions. With these updates, managing and customizing your Control Center has never been easier.
Messages
iOS 18 introduces a host of exciting enhancements to the Messages app, transforming the way you communicate. The update brings a new level of expressiveness with text formatting options. Now, you can apply bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough effects to any part of your text, including individual letters, words, phrases, and even emojis. This added functionality allows for a richer, more nuanced way to convey your thoughts and emotions.
In addition, animated text effects have been introduced, letting you animate text elements with lively behaviors like bouncing or jittering. These dynamic effects make your messages more engaging and fun, adding an extra touch of creativity to your conversations.
The update also expands your options for reacting to messages with the introduction of enhanced Tapbacks. You can now use any emoji or sticker to respond, offering a broader range of ways to interact and express yourself in replies. For those who like to stay organized, the new message scheduling feature allows you to draft messages in advance and set them to be sent at a specified time. This ensures that you never miss an important communication or forget to follow up.
With the integration of Rich Communication Services (RCS), you can expect a more robust messaging experience. RCS support brings improved media sharing capabilities, more reliable group messaging, and delivery/read receipts for interactions with contacts who do not use iMessage.
For those who find themselves in remote locations or in situations where traditional cellular or Wi-Fi connections are unavailable, the new Messages via satellite feature ensures you remain connected. This capability allows you to send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks even when you’re out of range of regular network services, providing crucial communication options in emergencies or while exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations.
The Mail app in iOS 18 receives a substantial upgrade in functionality. Enhanced on-device intelligence now sorts incoming emails into distinct categories: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. This advanced organization helps streamline your inbox by highlighting personal and urgent messages, making it easier to manage your communications effectively.
Additionally, a new digest view has been introduced, which consolidates emails from businesses into a single, easily accessible group. This feature allows you to quickly review and locate important details without having to dig through your entire inbox, ensuring that relevant information is readily available when you need it.
Which Devices Are Compatible with iOS 18?
Here is a list of devices that are eligible for the iOS 18 update:
- iPhone 16 series (upcoming)
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020)
- iPhone SE (3rd generation, 2022)